Facing Reality
by exquisitedreamer
Summary: She's been betrayed by the one she loves... but when will she have the chance to show him that she's not really the person he's painted her to be? OneShot Past RHr


Hermione stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the roaring ocean. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her but the rest of her was flying. Her heart was soaring in the wind, being played with and manipulated. Her eyes were closed, blind to the world that was so full of deceit.

The wind smoothed her hair down, caressing her soft skin as it blew softly along with her. Her black robe flapped in the wind, creating patterns in the air as the breeze playfully lifted it along. It belonged.

**Seems like just yesterday, you were a part of me**

The wind whistled and whispered, making sweet sounds in her ear. A tear trickled down her cheek, tracing her pained expression. Sweet nothings, so comforting and seeming so true…

She fell to her knees, her heart throbbing painfully as if someone had taken it and cursed it with Cruciatus over and over again. More tears trickled out of her shut eyes. She was past caring as they left streaks on her makeup.

**I used to stand so tall, I used to be so strong**

_She stood in front of the mirror, critically eyeing her outfit for the seventh year Yule Ball. Hermione was clad in a tight white dress that hugged her figure, accentuating her pleasant curves. The top seemed extra tight and lacked any straps but it looked… alright. Her waist was small – she had worked to drop five pounds before the ball – and the dress hugged her thighs and flowed down to the ground._

_She sighed and her roommate looked over. "It's going to be fine, Hermione," said Lavender. "You look awesome."_

"_I like it," she rebutted. "I don't need Ron's approval for everything you know…_"

**Your arms around me tight, everything felt so right**

_A flaming-haired young man sat down on the lawn, taking a natural place next to her. Long arms encircled her waist and pulled her onto his lap. He gently nuzzled her hair and breathed in the peppermint scent._

"_I love you Hermione," he breathed. _

_She looked at him, eyes shining. "Forever, Ron," she whispered. "I'll love you forever."_

**Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong**

"_Ron!" she screamed, fending off a Death Eater. "They're here!"_

_He ran into the Gryffindor Common Room, wide-eyed, clutching his wand fiercely. Before he could go to her, he was cut off by Bellatrix._

"_Ah, my cousin's little friend," she cooed. "How would you like it if I saw if you'd scream like little Neville does?"_

"Stupefy_," Ron bellowed, almost catching the taunting Death Eater. "_Expelliarmus!"

_The second spell caught her and a quick full body bind took care of the Death Eater. Ron quickly Stunned Hermione's attacker and grabbed his girlfriend. He pulled her behind a couch to hide and roughly kissed her on her lips._

"_We're going to die," she murmured. "We're going to die tonight."_

_A fierce light of determination flared in his eyes. "Not tonight," he said roughly. "Not tonight."_

**Now I can't breathe, No, I can't sleep**

"_What do you mean?" she asked, ashen faced._

_A twenty-year old Ron looked at her impatiently, rolling his eyes. "You're no fun, Hermione," he said with an aggravated air. "I was with you during our school year, just for kicks. Sure, you've got the body and smarts, but you're not fun like any other girl."_

_She looked upon his handsome face, searching his features for any sign of a lie. She locked gazes with his deep sky blue eyes, simply searching for a glimmer of humor. There was nothing but a slight contempt for the pitiful performance she was putting on._

"_You told me that you loved me," she said, voice breaking._

"_And you believed that?" he asked, incredulous. "Sweet nothings are exactly that: nothing."_

_Her heart was shattered and raw. Her throat felt parched as she tried to swallow the huge lump residing there. "Please," she whispered. "Please…"_

"_Please," he mocked. "Look, Hermione, you don't know what love is. Your heart can't break if you've only held interest in those old dusty books in your library. Face reality, you're living in a dream world. No guy likes a girl who can't loosen up and wants to go to the bookstore on a date."_

"_I've tried Ron, I've loosened up, broken rules for you and Harry…" she retorted half-heartedly._

"_Exactly!" he exclaimed. "You do everything with me like we're still friends. Grow up, Hermione. Face reality."_

"_Dreams precede the goal," she said sorrowfully._

_He snorted. "Don't get all philosophical on me. Just face reality and you'll open those blind, naïve eyes of yours for once."_

_She lowered her gaze as tears began to fall, their dripping sound mocking her naivety and her failure. She was broken; she had given her soul to him and he had thrown it away like an expendable Sickle._

**I'm barely hanging on**

"I just thought you were the one," she said quietly. "Was I not good enough for you?"

Far down on the beach, she could see a red-haired figure, strolling about with a girl in his arms. She saw as he nuzzled her hair and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. That girl had been her once, full of innocence. Naive and susceptible to his charming grin and sweet composure.

She was torn, torn in pieces. Torn between a life that never existed and one that would cease to exist. The prospect of a life alone was like a sharp dagger in her heart, ravaging the ruins that it already was.

She finally turned away from the sickening scene. She was broken, broken by just several mocking phrases. She started as a voice came from behind her.

"I love you," said the red-haired young man.

She whirled around, eyes narrowed as she saw Ron Apparate just a hundred paces from her. In his arms was the ravishing Cho Chang, giggling and commenting on how handsome he looked.

Hermione gripped her wand tightly within her robe pockets. She waited as Ron finally turned around and saw her. "Whoa," he breathed. She had changed and lost weight, accentuating her already slim figure. To him, she was some random girl, on a bluff overlooking the sea, dyed black hair whipping around her wildly.

Her eyes blazed with fury as she stalked up to him, startling him when she brought up her lowered chocolate brown gaze. Cho stood rather shocked as she strode towards Ron, furious and unforgiving.

Her small hand suddenly came up, devoid of a wand, and brought itself down with a tremendous force, slapping her ex-boyfriend with strength she didn't know that she possessed.

"What was that?" he shouted angrily, finally recognizing her face.

"That," she replied in a frigid tone, "was _reality_."

**Author's Note**

_It wasn't too great, but I sort of wrote it on impulse and it turned out alright so I decided to post it. Also, please don't flame me because you're a Ron/Hermione shipper, I just don't like them together. It's my belief that Ron is too temperamental and too insensitive to be able to stay with Hermione for more than a couple months._

_Feel free to read my other fics, _Consequential Revenge_ and _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_. Read and review! Thanks!_


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